Category Archives: District 8

District 8

S’Long Max Davidson, We Hardly Knew Ye

Faux-Democrat Max Davidson, who jumped in to primary incumbent Sen. Kathy Klausmeier (D-8) at the last moment, has now issued a lengthy “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” statement withdrawing from the race:

I have been slandered, insulted and had my name dragged through the mud because I challenged the Annapolis establishments preferred candidate. I was called a plant, a fake Democrat among many other things. What’s more, the Democratic Senate Caucus spent untold dollars on advertisements calling me a Republican plant. This is completely absurd and wrong. These allegations have made it impossible for me to have a fair shot at running for office currently.

Davidson’s claims that he has been “slandered” and that he is a progressive Democrat even as he scurries back into his hole remain untrue. He gave far more money to right-wing Republicans than Democrats and doth protested too much in his response after I pointed them out. He still has yet to deny any connection with Republican Christian Miele.

If anyone has been slandered, it is the Seventh State. If “untold dollars” were directed by the Annapolis establishment to attack Max, I sure didn’t see any of them. I have never held any Annapolis job nor received a dime in payment from the Democratic Senate Caucus or any member of the General Assembly.

Meanwhile, more evidence has emerged that Max is a right-wing kook. After learning from a fellow journalist that Davidson was running for office, Charles Daye shared with me concrete evidence from Facebook of Max’s true political sympathies:

Attacking the decline of English dominance, transgender Americans and defending Milo sure doesn’t sound like standard progressive talking points. Trying to trash someone for not earning enough is also not the acme of class.

This approach is more commonly found among people who appear on FOX and Friends. In short, there is more evidence to support rumors that Max is a Black Lives Matter-hating, Trump-supporting sort of guy than a “Berniecrat.”

So long, Max. We hardly knew you. But what we did was more than enough.

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District 8

Do You Believe Klausmeier’s Primary Opponent? I Do

Last week, I published a post on medical marijuana lobbyist Max Davidson’s strange, last-minute decision to primary Sen. Kathy Klausmeier (D-8). Davidson has given the bulk of his donations to Republicans and by far the most to Del. Christian Miele (R-8), who also just happens to be running for the seat.

Quick off the dime, Max Davidson is not. He took over three days to respond to my post, an eternity for a candidate not to respond to negative publicity. What is he, high? Oh, wait. . .

Clocking in at over 2100 words, his Facebook post reply feels more like the start of Leviathan than a campaign statement. If he’s this lengthy in chatting up legislators, no wonder it took so long for medical marijuana to pass in Maryland.

Nevertheless, I believe Max Davidson.

I believe “firmly pro-choice” Davidson gave $970 to “firmly pro-life” Miele because he cares deeply about abortion rights.

I believe Davidson when he says that he gave over four times as much money to Republicans as Democrats “in support of attempting to pass my most recent bill.” Lobbyists always give more money to minority party legislative opponents.

I believe Davidson gave $150 to Del. Kathy Szeliga (R-7) but not Chris Van Hollen because he is “a proven lifelong Progressive” and “Berniecrat.”

I believe Davidson even though he never addresses whether he discussed his bid with Miele in his very long reply.

I believe Davidson cares about issues other than cannabis legalization even though the word “cannabis” appears 21 times in his post.

I believe Davidson gave over $500 to Sen Justin Ready (R-5) because he cares passionately about “raising the minimum hourly wage to $15 per hour” and keeping education affordable.

I believe this is a good logo:

I believe electing a lobbyist like Davidson is “our chance to stop politics as usual in Annapolis.”

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Baltimore County, District 8

Are Republicans Playing Dirty Pool to Unseat Klausmeier?

Max Davidson

Sure looks like it.

On the day of the filing deadline, Max Davidson launched a primary challenge against four-term Baltimore County Sen. Kathy Klausmeier (D-8). Davidson is head of a pro-medical marijuana lobbying group, the Marijuana Patient Rights Association.

Davidson has donated $970 to Del. Christian Miele, Klausmeier’s struggling opponent, as a look at Miele’s campaign finance reports reveals:

Not exactly the profile of a Democrat who is raring to take on Miele.

Indeed, Davidson’s donation profile leans heavily Republican. Besides Miele, he also gave $520 to Sen. Justin Ready (R-5), $150 to Del. Kathy Szeliga (R-7), $33 to Del. David Vogt (R-4), $20 to Del. Deb Rey (R-29B), and $20 to Del. Ric Metzger (R-6) for a total of $1713 in donations to Republicans.

In contrast, he gave just $392 to Democrats — $250 to Shane Pendergrass (D-13), $100 to Del. David Moon (D-20), and $42 to Sen. Bill Ferguson (D-46).

Rather than being eager to take on his favorite state legislator, Davidson’s candidacy smacks heavily of a Republican effort to weaken Klausmeier. Davidson presents no real threat to Klausmeier but Miele would sure love if he softened her up a bit and forced her to expend resources in the primary.

The notion that Davidson wants to take on his favorite Republican makes no sense. Did Davidson really not coordinate or discuss with Miele, his favorite Republican, before filing for his seat?

Any voter who was on the fence, or who just doesn’t like these tactics, now has an excellent reason to vote for Klausmeier. You should also remember this one the next time Hogan and the Republicans trot out the usual bromides and claim that they are political reformers.

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